


Close Up

by CountlessUntruths (KaliCephirot)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Kinda character death in a way, Post S6, mental introspection, talking to your clone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-05-26 08:55:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14997317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaliCephirot/pseuds/CountlessUntruths
Summary: "Would it be weird to say 'nice to meet you'?" (his--not his) a voice says."Not the weirdest thing that has happened to me," Shiro starts, slowly. "But almost, I think."





	Close Up

Allura's hold over his mind (soul? Shiro has never been very religious and the words he does have fail him to explain this) is warm and gentle like a summer breeze. Shiro can almost feel himself protected by her hands, and for a moment he feels all of her entity: her kindness, her warmth, her grief, even the most recent pain of betrayal and broken heart, before there's, almost, nothing.

After so long being one with Black Shiro has a moment of unease, not knowing what's supposed to happen.

"Would it be weird to say 'nice to meet you'?" (his--not his) a voice says. 

Shiro is aware that as a spirit-mind-conscience-something he doesn't really open his eyes, but it feels like so, in a mindscape that is still very similar to the one Black kept him safe in. In front of him, without the Galra arm, the clone looks at him, wary and sad.

"Not the weirdest thing that has happened to me," Shiro starts, slowly. "But almost, I think."

The clone almost seems to smile, and Shiro knows that the other Shiro is probably thinking that it's a tie for weirdest-thing. Talking to his clone inside their mind. His mind. Or the clone's mind. It's the clone's body, after all. 

"I'm glad that we have this chance," Shiro says, getting close. The other Shiro doesn't move away, not even looking weary. There is a deep sadness in his eyes that hurts Shiro. Guilt. "But I'm sorry it has come like this."

With the clone close to dying.

"Too much of me was linked to that arm," the clone confesses, moving his left hand to half cover the stump. "It has taken all that I have left to keep hold."

"Why did you?" Shiro asks, despite himself. Once, when he first came to realize about the clone, he had been angry. But after all the months that the other Shiro has been Black's pilot, his anger has turned into something else that Shiro isn't sure how to name. A sad kind of understanding.

The clone sighs, looking down, the weight of the universe upon his shoulders.

"Because this was the only way I figured I could try to make amends with the team," and Shiro aches for this person who never had a choice of his own, understanding that this other him really thought it was Shiro. It might not have been perfect, but there was enough of him and he never had a reason why to doubt himself. In his place (and oh, he is never going to be able to make head or tails of this part of his psyche) Shiro knows that he would be doing the same thing.

"You don't have to," Shiro hears himself saying, knowing what he is saying. But it's been almost a year since Black took his conscience inside her. Shiro has had more than enough time to come mourn his own passing and accept it, and he had his chance to say his goodbyes to Keith, at least. "It is your body."

The other Shiro shakes his head. "Losing you... the _real_ you... after learning everything... Keith... everyone... it would hurt them even more than I already did. I'm _done_ hurting the team. And I'm not letting Haggar win. I would just like to ask you a favor, if I may?"

"Of course."

"Tell the team that... I'm sorry, for what I did." the clone's eyes are sad but determined. "And that it was my honor to be their companion."

"They'll know it wasn't your fault," Shiro promises him, offering his hand for a handshake, with the distant thought that, if needed, he'll try to make it up because this was also an innocent person hurt by the war. "When you begged Black to trust in you, you were being honest. Your love for the team is true." 

"Love." The clone sighs and then smiles at him and takes his hand. "Thank you. I'm leaving them under your care, then."

Shiro nods, and he can feel the clone giving himself up, for this, not even for Shiro - or his - sake but for the team.

"There's only one thing I'm keeping."

Shiro frowns, confused, but the other Shiro's smile grows almost mischievous for a moment.

"There is something Keith said, when we were fighting." He says. Shiro can feel and see the fight, Keith fighting the way he has never really fought _against him_ but the way Keith used to hate when he was too angry. There's Keith calling for him and the clone's (his) guilt about how he taunted Keith, pressing at wounds that Keith confided him. And then--

The other Shiro smiles at him, almost gone, and his--their-- his. His voice feels like a conscience, like talking to himself just before waking up. "Ask him. You should get to hear it first hand."

Shiro feels the moment that other conscience is-- not gone. But with him. Like a puzzle's last piece snapping into place.

Allura's gentle hold stops and suddenly he gasps, breathing and there and alive.


End file.
